Safety belt buckle



June 23, 1964 KEIZEN UNA] SAFETY BELT BUCKLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 8, 1965 INVENTOR. KEIZEN UNAI BY FULWIDER, PATTON, RIEBER, LEE 5 UTECHT ATTORNEYS J1me 1964 KElZEN UNAl 3,137,907

SAFETY BELT BUCKLE Filed July 8, 1963 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 52 .52 F 6 /6 r A? 66 38 76 66 40 40 46 5,: :t: 6 4 1111-; 9 42 r s 42 50 68 60 4 34 INVENTOR. KEIZEN UNAl BY FULWIDER, PATTON, RIEBER, LEE 5 UTECHT ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofi ice 3,137,907 Patented June 23, 1964 3,137,907 SAFETY BELT BUCKLE Keizen Unai, Osaka, Japan, assignor to Ashimori Industry Company, Ltd., Osaka, Japan, a Japanese corporation Filed July 8, 1963, Ser. No. 293,294 6 Claims. (Cl. 24-230) The present invention relates to a safety belt buckle, and more particularly to a safety belt buckle adapted for releasably fastening together the ends of straps, belts, and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety belt buckle capable of being unlocked and positively disengaged quickly and easily.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety belt buckle of the aforementioned character in which the part to be secured can be readily inserted into the buckle without disturbing the lever cover or handle portion thereof, and the buckle will automatically snap to its locked position.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a safety belt buckle of the aforementioned character which can be relatively inexpensively fabricated, and which is adapted to be manufactured on a mass production basis. A further object of the invention is the provision of a safety belt buckle of the aforementioned character wherein the buckle is positive in its locking action, and incorporates a self-latching arrangement by which the buckle and the part to be secured are more firmly maintained together as the forces tending to effect separation increase in magnitude.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety belt buckle of the aforementioned character which can be latched and unlatched easily and quickly, and which is so constructed that distortion or damage thereof occurring during an accident is extremely unlikely to affect the capacity of the complemental parts to disengage, even with such parts under load, as would be the case when the wearer is suspended in an overturned automobile for example. It is a salient feature of the present buckle that it can be actuated to a disengaged position by merely pressing an exposed, inwardly oriented latch, which is sensorily lo cated without having to look at the buckle.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a safety belt buckle, according to the present invention, connecting two belt or strap sections;

FIG. 2 is a plan View of the safety belt buckle of FIG. 1, the cover lever or handle portion thereof being removed for clarity;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of the latch member and latch support in the locking positions thereof;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the safety belt buckle; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view of the safety belt buckle, particularly illustrating the positions of the latch member and latch support upon insertion of a tongue plate carried by one of the belt parts to be secured together. 7

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is illustrated a safety belt buckle 10 according to the present invention which includes a channelshaped buckle member 12 having an elongated flat base portion 14 and a pair of transversely spaced-apart and parallel flanges or side portions 16 and 18 located adjacent opposite side edges of the base portion 14, and extending upwardly in substantially normal or perpendicular relationship thereto.

The base portion 14 is characterized by a belt extremity 17, and an opposite latch extremity 19 adjacent which is positioned a relatively wide transverse slot or belt opening 20. The belt opening 20 is defined by a transverse flange or wall 22 formed out of the material of the base portion 14, the wall 22 constituting an integral deformation of the material of the base portion 14 which extends upwardly from the base portion 14 and inclines toward the latch extremity 19, as best viewed in FIG. 4.

A cylindrical, transversely disposed strap or clamping rod 24 is located above and substantially coextensive with the belt opening 29, and is knurled or generally roughened, as best viewed in FIG. 2, for improved frictional engagement with a belt section 30. In this regard, the rod 24 is provided with flattened extremities 26 which are freely slidable within inclined, oppositely disposed slots 28 provided in the side portions 16 and 18 so that a pull upon the strap section 30 urges the rod 24 in a direction longitudinally of the slots 28. This brings the strap section 30 in clamping engagement with the adjacent wall 22 and prevents separation of the strap section 30 from the rod 24, it being apparent that the firmness of such clamping engagement increases in proportion to the magnitude of the pulling force upon the strap section 30.

The belt section 38 is trained through the belt opening 20, about the clamping rod 24, past the transverse wall 22, and out again through the belt opening 20 so that the belt section 30 is easily loosened for adjustment by moving the strap rod 24 away from the wall 22. After the length of the belt section 30 is adjusted, a pull upon the belt section 39 relocates the clamping rod 24 against the transverse wall 22, binding and clamping the belt section 30 therebetween. As will be seen, the belt buckle 10 is adapted to secure the belt section 30 to a similar belt sec tion 32, which is provided with a tongue plate 34 receivable within the buckle member 12.

An elongated handle or lever cover 36 is pivotally mounted upon a transverse pin 38 whose opposite extremities are non-rotatably supported by the sides 16 and 18. In its normally closed or locked position, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, a pair of opposite side margins or flanges 40 of the lever cover 36 normally rest upon the reversely formed belt section 30 disposed upon the clamping rod 24, cushioning and limiting the closing movement of the cover lever 36. In its normally closed position, the cover lever 36 overlies the space between the channel sides 16 and 18 of the buckle member 12, it being noted that the sides 16 and 18 are provided with a pair of oppositely disposed, inwardly punched protrusions 42 which are located above the upper surface of the channel base 14 a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the tongue plate 34 whereby the protrusions 42 serve as guides to receive the tongue plate 34 and constrain it against movement other than longitudinal sliding move .ment.

One extremity of the transverse hinge pin 38 is transversely grooved or slotted at 44, and is fixed against rotation by radially inwardly disposed tabs 46 integrally formed in the margins of the openings for the slotted pin extremity, and extending into the slot 44. In addition, the slotted extremity of the pin 38 includes a circumferential groove which receives a split ring 48 to secure the pin 38 against axial movement in one direction, and the pin 38 is constrained against axial movement in the opposite direction by any suitable means, as by upsetting or enlarging the pin extremity opposite the slotted extremity.

A channel-shaped latch support 50 having a pair of transversely spaced end flanges 52 is pivotally mounted to the hinge pin 38, the flanges 52 being rotatably supported adjacent opposite extremities of the hinge pin 38. The support 50 also includes a central portion intermediate the flanges 52 constituting a seat portion 54 which in the closed or lock position of the support 50, as illustrated in FIG. 4, is oriented above and generally coplanar with the base portion 14 of the buckle member 12, thereby defining a passage 56 for the slidable receipt of the tongue plate 34.

The seat portion 54 of the latch support 59 is characterized by a central cut away or detent portion 58 intermediate the end flanges 52 which, as best viewed in FIG. 4, is located in substantially overlying or superjacent relationship to a latch opening 60 which is provided in the base portion 14. The detent portion 58 is substantially U-shaped in configuration and includes a transversely oriented inner edge margin 62 defining the inner terminus of the detent portion 58.

A channel-shaped latch member 64 having a pair of transversely spaced end flanges 66 is also pivotally mounted to the hinge pin 38, the flanges 66 being rotatably supported upon the hinge pin 38 interiorly of the flanges 52 of the latch support 50. The latch member 64 includes a depending saddle, offset portion, or latch 68 which is located intermediate the flanges 66 and extends through the detent portion 58 when the latch member 14 is seated upon the seat portion 54 of the latch support 50. Upon pivotal movement of the latch member 64 from its lock position, as best viewed in FIG. 5, to its release position, as best viewed in FIG. 1, the latch 68 is correspondingly moved from a lock position in which it depends or projects through the passage 56 and into the latch opening 60 in the base portion 14, substantially flush with the underside thereof, to a release position in which it is pivoted out of and above the passage 56 and the latch opening 60.

The tongue plate 34 is preferably generally rectangular in form and has one end provided with a slot 70 adapted to receive a looped end of the belt section 32. The midportion of the tongue plate 34 includes a central, generally rectangular latch opening 72 which is adapted to slidably receive the latch 68, and the tongue plate 34 is longitudinally slidable into the passage 56, over the base portion 14, to move the latch openings 60 and 72 of the base portion 14 and tongue plate 34, respectively, into registry for receiving the latch 68. Upon location of the latch 68 in the latch openings 60 and 72, relative movement between the buckle member 12 and the tongue plate 34 is positively prevented.

The tongue plate 34 also includes a pair of shoulders 74 on opposite sides thereof which are adapted to be received within a pair of complemental slots 76 provided in the vertical edge margins of the side portions 16 and 18 adjacent the latch extremity 19. This engagement limits the degree of penetration of the tongue plate 34 into the buckle member 12 and has the further function of constraining the tongue plate 34 against movement in an up and down direction, as viewed in FIG. 6, relative to the buckle member 12.

A helically-arranged torsion spring 78 is mounted upon the hinge pin 38, one extremity thereof being fixedly anchored against rotation relative to the hinge pin 38 by disposition within the slot 44 thereof. The other extremity of the spring'78 rests upon the latch member 64, thereby locating the latch member 64 between the latch support 50 and the spring 78 so that the spring 78 tends to bias the latch member 64 against the latch support 50. This tends to firmly but releasably seat the latch member 64 upon the latch support 50 whereby movement of the latch support 50 in a counter-clockwise direction to its lock position, as viewed in FIG. 1, is a movement in common with the latch member 64 by means of the bias of the spring 78. However, it will be noted that the latch member 64 is movable to its release position in a clockwise direction,

against the bias of the spring 78, independently of the latch support 50. In addition, it will also be noted that clockwise movement of the latch support 50 to a release position is necessarily accompanied by corresponding movement of the latch member 64 because of the engagement therebetween.

It is an important feature of the present invention that the end extremity or abutment shoulder 80 of the latch 64, as well as the sides thereof, is spaced at all times from the end edge margin 62 and the adjacent side margins of the latch support 50, the reason for this becoming apparent hereinafter.

The abutment shoulder 80 is engaged by the tongue plate 34 upon insertion thereof into the passage 56, pivoting the latch member 64 to its release position independently of the latch support 50 and the cover lever 36, whereby the tongue plate 34 may be secured without the buckle member 12 without visible movement of the cover lever 36 at all.

Opposite the abutment shoulder 80, the latch 68 is characterized by a beveled end surface 82 which facilitates withdrawal of the tongue plate 34 once the latch 68 is sufficiently withdrawn from the latch opening 72 thereof to engage the tongue plate 34 upon the beveled surface 82. That is, the force of engagement of the tongue plate 34 is resolved by the beveled surface 82 into both horizontal and vertical components, the vertical component tending to pivot and raise the latch 68 to its release position.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the extremity of the latch support 50 normally adjacent the latch extremity 19 is upwardly curved or deformed to smoothly guide the tongue plate 34 into the passage 56, and also to provide a transverse engagement margin 84 which is engageable with a complemental engagement margin 86 provided at the adjacent arcuate extremity of the cover lever 36. Such engagement between the margins 84 and 86 occurs upon pivotal movement of the cover lever 36 to its open position, as viewed in FIG. 1, whereby the latch support 50 is correspondingly pivoted in a clockwise direction, carrying the latch member 64 and the latch 68 to release positions with it. Accordingly, pivotal opening movement of the cover lever 36 is always effective to disengage the buckle member 12 from the tongue plate 34.

The bias of the spring 78 against the latch member 64 tends to pivot it and the latch support 50 to their lock positions, as previously indicated. However, this movement of the latch support 50 is also effective to cause a corresponding movement of the cover lever 36 to its closed position by reason of the interengagement between the margins 84 and 86. Accordingly, the bias of the spring 78 always tends to urge the cover lever 36, latch member 64, and latch support 50 in a common movement toward their closed or lock positions.

Since, as previously indicated, the latch 68 is pivotable to its release position independently of the latch support 50 and the cover lever 36, if the cover lever 36 is damaged or for some reason malfunctions so that it cannot be operated to separate the buckle member 12 from the tongue plate 34, such separation can be accomplished quickly and easily by pushing against the latch 68 through the latch opening 72 from the inner side of the buckle member 12, as seen in FIG. 4. This affords a safety feature which can be of critical importance in certain circumstances.

It is also particularly important to note that the tensile forces upon the belt sections 30 and 32 during an accident may reach levels sufilcient to jam or distort usual latching mechanisms, but the design and orientation of the latch 68 substantially prevents this. More particularly, the latch 68 is, as previously indicated, slightly spaced from the edge margins of the detent portion 58 and the latch opening 72 so that the axial or horizontal forces of the tongue plate 34 upon the latch 68 are translated in substantial degree to vertical forces tending to more firmly seat the latch member 64 downwardly upon the latch support 50. This provides a safety belt buckle which is substantially invulnerable to malfunction by reason of any jamming of the latch 68 within the latch opening of the buckle member within which it is disposed. The separation forces usually causing such jamming are instead borne by'interengagement between the latch member 64, the hinge pin 38, and the normally horizontally oriented seat portion 54 of the latch support 50.

Various modifications and changes may be made with regard to the foregoing detailed description without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A safety belt buckle comprising:

a buckle member having a latch opening;

a latch support pivotally coupled to said buckle member;

a tongue plate having a latch opening and longitudinally movable relative to said buckle member for registry of said latch openings of said tongue plate and said buckle member;

bias means coupled to said buckle member;

a latch member having a depending latch and coupled to said buckle member for pivotal movement of said latch between a release position and a lock position in which said latch projects into said latch openings, said latch member being coupled between said latch support and said bias means whereby said bias means tends to bias said latch member against said latch support to effect common pivotal movement thereof to dispose said latch in said lock position;

and a cover lever coupled to said buckle member for pivotal movement between open and closed positions, said cover lever being engaged and pivoted to said closed position by said latch support acting under the bias of said bias means operating against said latch member, said latch support being engaged and pivoted upon movement of said cover lever toward said open position to thereby pivot said latch member against the bias of said bias means to move said latch to said release position out of said latch openings, said latch member being pivotable to said release position independently of said latch support, against the bias of said bias means, by movement of said latch to said release position.

2. A safety belt buckle comprising:

a buckle member having a pair of oppositely disposed side portions and a base portion including a latch opening;

a latch support pivotally coupled to said side portions and spaced above said base portion to define an elongated passage;

a tongue plate having a latch opening and longitudinally movable into said passage for registry of said latch openings of said tongue plate and said base portion; a

bias means coupled to said buckle member; r r

a latch member having a depending latch and coupled to said side portions for pivotal movement of said latch between a release position and a lock position in which said latch projects through said passage and into said latch openings, said latch member being coupled between said latch support and said bias means whereby said bias means tends to bias said latch member against said latch support to effect common pivotal movement thereof to dispose said latch in said lock position;

and an elongated cover lever coupled to said side portions for pivotal movement between open and closed positions, said cover lever being engaged and pivoted to said closed position by said latch support acting under the bias of said bias means operating against said latch member, said latch support being engaged and pivoted upon movement of said cover lever toward said open position to thereby pivot said latch member against the bias of said bias means to move said latch to said'release position out of said latch openings, said latch member being pivotable to said release position independently of said latch support, against the bias of said bias means, by movement of said latch to said release position. v

3. Asafety belt buckle comprising:

an elongated, channel-shaped buckle member having a pair of oppositely disposed, substantially parallel side portions, a connecting, substantially perpendicularly arranged base portion including a latch opening, and an extremity adapted for connection to a belt section;

a latch support coupled to said side portions for pivotal movement about a transverse axis, and spaced above said base portion to define an elongated passage;

an elongated tongue plate having an extremity adapted for connection to a belt section, having a latch opening, and longitudinally slidable into said passage along said base portion for registry of said latch openings of said tongue plate and said base portion;

bias means coupled to'said buckle member;

a latch member normally resting upon said latch support and having a latch depending from said latch support and coupled to said side portions for pivotal movement substantially about said transverse axis to pivot said latch between a release position and a lock position in which said latch projects through said passage and into said latch openings, said latch member being coupled between said latch support and said bias means whereby said bias means tends to bias said latch memberagainst. said latch support to effect common pivotal movement thereof to dispose said latch in said lock position;

and-an elongated cover lever coupled to said side portions for pivotal movement between open and closed positions, said cover lever being engaged and pivoted to said closed position by said latch support acting under the bias of said bias means operating against said latch member, said latch support being engaged and pivoted upon movement of said cover lever toward said open position to thereby pivot said latch member against the bias of said bias means to move said latch to said release position out of said latch openings, said latch member being pivotable to said release position independently of said latch support, against the bias of said bias means, by movement of said latch to said release position.

. 4. A safety belt buckle comprising:

a buckle member having a pair of oppositely disposed side portions and a base portion including a latch opening; r

a transverse hinge'pin fixedly secured to said side portions;

a a latch support pivotally mounted to said hinge pin and spaced above said base portion to define an elongated passage; t

a tongue plate having a latch opening and longitudinally movable into said passage for registry of said latch openings of said tongue plate and said base portion;

a torsion spring mounted on said hinge pin and having one extremity fixedly anchored against rotation relative to said hinge pin;

a latch member having a depending latch and pivotally mounted to said hinge pin for pivotal movement of said latch between a release position and a lock position in which said latch projects through said passage and into said latch openings to connect said buckle member and said tongue plate, said latch member being located between said latch support and the other extremity of said spring whereby said and an elongated cover lever pivotally mounted 'to said hinge pin for pivotal movement between open and closed positions, said cover lever being engaged and pivoted to said closed position by said latch support acting under the bias of said other extremity of said spring operating against said latch member, said latch support being engaged and pivoted upon movement of said cover lever toward said open position to thereby pivot said latch member against the bias of said spring to move said latch to said release 'position out of said latch openings, said latch member being pivotable to said release position independently of said latch support, against the bias of said spring, by movement of said latch to said release position.

5. A safety belt buckle comprising: an elongated, channel-shaped buckle member having a pair of oppositely disposed, substantially parallel side portions, :1 connecting, substantially perpendicularly arranged base portion including a latch opena transverse hinge pin fixedly secured to said side portions;

a latch support pivotally mounted to said hinge pin and a tongue plate having a latch opening and, longitudinally movable into said passage for registry of said latch openings of said tongue plate and said base portion;

a torsion spring mounted onsaid hinge pin and having 7 one extremity fixedly anchored against rotation relative to said hinge pin;

a latch member having a latch depending through said detent portion and pivotally mounted to said hinge pin for pivotal movement of said latch between a release position and a lock position in which said latch projects through said passage and into said latch openings to connect said buckle member and said tongue plate, said latch member being located between said latch support and the other extremity of said spring whereby said spring tends to bias said latch member .in seated relationship upon said latch support to effect common pivotal movement thereof to dispose said latch in said lock position, said latch being spaced from said marginal edge of said detent portion;

and an elongated cover lever pivotally mounted to said hinge pin for pivotal movement between open and closed positions, said cover lever being engaged and pivoted .to said closed position by said latch support acting under the bias of said other extremity of said spring operating against said latch member, said latch support being engaged and pivoted upon movement of said cover lever toward said open position to thereby pivot said latch member against the bias of said spring to move said latch to said release position out of said latch openings, said latch member being pivotable to said release position independently of said latch support, against the bias of said spring, by movement of said latch to said release position, said latch being engaged by said tongue plate upon attempted withdrawal of said tongue plate from said buckle member and thereby urged into tighter, firmer seated relationship upon said latch support.

6. A safety belt buckle comprising:

an elongated, channel-shaped buckle member having a pair of oppositely disposed, substantially parallel side portions, a connecting, substantially perpendicularly arranged base portion including a latch opening;

a transverse hinge pin fixedly secured to said side portions;

a latch support pivotally mounted to said hinge pin and spaced above said base portion to define an elongated passage, said latch support including a detent portion superjacent said latch opening of said base portion, said detent portion having an inner, generally transverse marginal edge;

a tongue plate having a latch opening and longitudinally movable into said passage for registry of said latch openings of said tongue plate and said base portion;

a torsion spring mounted on said hinge pin and having one extremity fixedly anchored against rotation relative to said hinge pin;

a latch member having a latch depending through said detent portion and pivotally mounted to said hinge pin for pivotal movement of said latch between a release position and a lock position in which said latch projects through said passage and into said latch openings to connect said buckle member and said tongue plate, said latch member being located between said latch support and the other extremity of said spring whereby said spring tends to bias said latch member in seated relationship upon said latch support to elTect common pivotal movement thereof to dispose said latch in said lock position, said latch being spaced from said marginal edge of said detent portion, said latch being constrained against pivotal movement into engagement with said marginal edge by said latch support preventing said pivotal movement upon establishment of said seated relationship between said latch member and said latch support;

and an elongated cover lever pivotally mounted to said hinge pin for pivotal movement between open and closed positions, said cover lever being engaged and pivoted to said closed position by said latch support acting under the bias of said other extremity of said spring operating against said latch member, said latch support being engaged and pivoted upon movement of said cover lever toward said open position to thereby pivot said latch member against the bias of said spring to move said latch to said release position out of said latch openings, said latch member being pivotable to said release position independently of said latch support, against the bias of said spring, by movement of said latch to said release position.

Lathrop Aug. 12, 1958 Brown Feb. 26, 1963 

1. A SAFETY BELT BUCKLE COMPRISING: A BUCKLE MEMBER HAVING A LATCH OPENING; A LATCH SUPPORT PIVOTALLY COUPLED TO SAID BUCKLE MEMBER; A TONGUE PLATE HAVING A LATCH OPENING AND LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID BUCKLE MEMBER FOR REGISTRY OF SAID LATCH OPENINGS OF SAID TONGUE PLATE AND SAID BUCKLE MEMBER; BIAS MEANS COUPLED TO SAID BUCKLE MEMBER; A LATCH MEMBER HAVING A DEPENDING LATCH AND COUPLED TO SAID BUCKLE MEMBER FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LATCH BETWEEN A RELEASE POSITION AND A LOCK POSITION IN WHICH SAID LATCH PROJECTS INTO SAID LATCH OPENINGS, SAID LATCH MEMBER BEING COUPLED BETWEEN SAID LATCH SUPPORT AND SAID BIAS MEANS WHEREBY SAID BIAS MEANS TENDS TO BIAS SAID LATCH MEMBER AGAINST SAID LATCH SUPPORT TO EFFECT COMMON PIVOTAL MOVEMENT THEREOF TO DISPOSE SAID LATCH IN SAID LOCK POSITION; AND A COVER LEVER COUPLED TO SAID BUCKLE MEMBER FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, SAID COVER LEVER BEING ENGAGED AND PIVOTED TO SAID CLOSED POSITION BY SAID LATCH SUPPORT ACTING UNDER THE BIAS OF SAID BIAS MEANS OPERATING AGAINST SAID LATCH MEMBER, SAID LATCH SUPPORT BEING ENGAGED AND PIVOTED UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID COVER LEVER TOWARD SAID OPEN POSITION TO THEREBY PIVOT SAID LATCH MEMBER AGAINST THE BIAS OF SAID BIAS MEANS TO MOVE SAID LATCH TO SAID RELEASE POSITION OUT OF SAID LATCH OPENINGS, SAID LATCH MEMBER BEING PIVOTABLE TO SAID RELEASE POSITION INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID LATCH SUPPORT, AGAINST THE BIAS OF SAID BIAS MEANS, BY MOVEMENT OF SAID LATCH TO SAID RELEASE POSITION. 